Spacing mechanism



R. SHAW. SPACING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY7. 1911;.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. SHAW.

SPACING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, I918.

Patented Apr. 26,1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD SHAW, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO DE BERGUE & COMPAN LIMITED, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND. 1

SPACING MECHANISM.

Application filed May '7,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD SHAW, a British sub'ect, residing at Manchester, county of nancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spacing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to t 1e spacing mechanism of machines for the punching, drilling or other operation on plates, bars or sections in which the plate, bar section is given an intermittent longitudinal feed relative to the tool or tools, thereby producing a regular pitch.

The object of this invention is to provide means to increase or decrease the regular pitch either occasionally by hand motion or continuously by power for a number of consecutive pitches in the length of the plate, bar or section by means of a secondary feed.

The invention consists essentially in the introduction in the feed of the spacing mechanism of an epicyclic gearing one member of which is connected with or geared to a secondary feed shaft whereby the pitch can be varied as desired by the operation of the secondary feed shaft.

The invention will be described with reference to the accorn anying drawings,

Figure l is plan of punching machine with the invention applied thereto.

Fig. .Z'is a detail view of the epicyclic gearing.

Fig. 3 is a view of the change speed gearing.

The intermittent feed (whether the feed be by screw, worm, rack and pinion or chain wheel) is transmitted by the shaft A which receives its motion through bevel wheels a from the shaft B at right angles thereto. The shaft B is divided into two parts I) and Z) the part Z) being connected to one member of an epicyclic gearing C and the part I) being connected to a second member of the gearing, the third member of the cpicyclic gearing-the member normally stationary is connected to a secondary feed shaft D.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawings the epicyclic gearing C consists of spur wheel a, planetary pinions c and an internal spur wheel 0 The epicyclic gearing is carried in a suitable bracket or housing and the internal spur wheel 0 is keyed to the part 7) of the shaft B. The spider or frame 0 carrying the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 26, 1921.

1918. Serial No. 233,058.

planetary pinions 0 is keyed to the part b of the shaft B and the spur wheel 0 is affixed to a sleeve d mounted and free to rotate on the part Z) of the shaft B. The shaft 5 is given an intermittent rotary movement by means already well known, the movement taking place while the punches are clear of the plate, bar or section.

A worm wheel cl is keyed on the sleeve d and receives its motion from a worm d on the secondary feed shaft D. The hand wheel E on the shaft D provides means for operating the secondary feed by hand, and in order to operate the secondary feed by power, one section of gears in the change ear set F F is made to transmit motion from one shaft to the other. The gear wheels in the gear seat F are provided with means whereby any one of the gears may be engaged with the shaft F Such means comprises a sliding rod f carrying a key f, projecting through slots formed in the shaft F The lengthwise movement of the rod 7 causes the key 7" to engage in slots f formed in the gear wheels. A'space is left between the slots in adjacent gear wheels so that the key 7" may be placed out of engagement. Altogether as shown in Fig. 3, the change speed mechanism will then be disconnected from the shaft D and thereby permit the hand-operated mechanism to be employed. Motion is transmitted from the shaft 5 through the bevel wheels 6 b thence through the change speed gears F F to the secondary feed shaft D. Or, instead of de riving the secondary feed from the shaft 6 it may be taken from any shaft moving in sympathy with the shaft 6.

The secondary feed shaft is provided with, or geared to, an index dial or indexing mechanism H which registers the length of the secondary feed, or in other words, the change in length from the regular spacing of the holes, so that when a plate, bar or section has been passed through the machine, the length. registered on the index is the difference between the actual distance obtained between centers of end holes in the plate or bar punched, and the distance that would have been obtained had all pitches been of the regular normal length.

In operation, when it is desired to alter an occasional pitch, the hand wheel E is rotated, the index dial H providing a means of reading the amount added to or taken from the normal regular pitch. When it is desired to alter a number of consecutive pitches by the same increment a section of the change gears is put into action, the ratio of the gears having been predetermined to give the increment required. In order to revert to the normal regular pitch it is only necessary to .throw out of action the chan e gears when the secondary feed shaft D Wlll remain stationary. Any means of applying the feed to the shaft D may be adopted.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. In a feed mechanism, the combination of an intermittently operated driving shaft, a driven shaft intermittently rotatable in synchronism with said driving shaft, a normally stationary feed shaft loosely mounted on said driving shaft, epicyclic gearing connecting said shafts including a sun pinion secured to feed shaft, an internal gear secured to said driven shaft, and a spider secured to said driving shaft having planet gears rotatably mounted thereon and meshing with said sun pinion and internal gear, and manually operated means for rotating said feed shaft and sun pinion to'vary the action of the epicyolic gearing. V

2. In a feed mechanism, the combination of an intermittently operated driving-shaft, a driven shaft intermittently rotatable in synchronism with said driving shaft, means for varying the phase relation of said shafts including change speed mechanism adapted to be operatively connected to said driving shaft, a feed shaft loosely mounted on the driving shaft, a secondary shaft connecting said change speed mechanism and feed shaft, and an indicating device driven from said secondary shaft for registering the change in said phase relation.

8. In a feed mechanism, the combination of an intermittently operated driving shaft, a driven shaft intermittently rotatable in synchronism with said driving shaft, means for varying the phase relation of said shafts including change speed mechanism adapted to be operatively connected to said driving shaft, a feed shaft loosely mounted 011 the driving shaft, a secondary shaft connecting said change speed mechanism and feed shaft and means for manually operating said secondary shaft when the change peed mechanism is disconnected.

4. In a feed mechanism, the combination of an intermittently operated driving shaft, a driven shaft intermittently rotatable with said driving shaft, means for varying the phase relation of said shafts including change speed mechanism adapted to be operatively connected to said driving shaft, a feed shaft loosely mounted on the driving shaft, epicyclic gearing operatively connected to said shafts, a secondary shaft connecting said change speed mechanism and feed shaft and means for manually operating'said secondary shaft.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 10th day of April, 1918.

RICHARD SHAW. lVitnesses:

J. OvynnN OBRIEN, GEO. H. OBnrnn. 

